Kingston University celebrates four important figures with honorary awards

Outstanding achievement, leadership and impact will be celebrated this summer as Kingston University awards honorary doctorates and an honorary fellowship to four distinguished individuals during its graduation ceremonies at the Rose Theatre. 

The prestigious honours recognise people whose contributions in their respective fields have made a lasting difference to society while inspiring the next generation of graduates.

They will be recognised alongside nearly 5,000 students graduating from the University. The ceremonies will also mark a milestone for Kingston University, with this year's graduates becoming the first cohort to complete the institution's pioneering Future Skills programme.

Tim Marlow OBE

Tim Marlow OBE is a distinguished writer, broadcaster, curator and art historian, and currently Director and Chief Executive of the Design Museum in London. He previously served as Artistic Director at the Royal Academy of Arts, helping lead its 250th anniversary celebrations and major redevelopment.

An accomplished author on artists from Rodin to Ai Weiwei, Tim has sat on trustee boards including the Institute of Contemporary Art London, Sadler's Wells and the Imperial War Museum. He has presented numerous acclaimed programmes for the BBC as well as broadcasters worldwide and was appointed OBE in 2020 for his contribution to the arts.

Russell Horton

Russell Horton graduated from Kingston University in 1990 with a degree in Accounting and Finance. After failing his chartered exams in 1992, he approached an audit client directly to become their Company Accountant — an early lesson in resilience that shaped a career spanning more than 30 years in technology and telecommunications, including 26 acquisitions and five company exits.

Russell spent more than seven years as Chief Executive of FluidOne, an award-winning UK-based provider of secure connected cloud and IT managed services, growing the company from £26 million to £110 million in revenue and leading a 2019 management buy-out. Under his leadership FluidOne was named among the best companies to work for in the UK. Since stepping down in December 2025, he has become chairman and board advisor to several technology businesses and remains closely involved with Kingston Business School as a guest lecturer.

Rakhi Jethwa

Rakhi Jethwa graduated from Kingston University in 2001 with a Business Studies degree. After roles at GlaxoSmithKline and TK Maxx — where she helped drive the retailer's expansion from 50 to 120 UK stores and designed its graduate scheme — she joined Network Rail, expecting to stay six months.

Twenty years, eight roles and five promotions later, Rakhi now leads a team of ten as Head of People and Change. Alongside her career she completed a master's degree in HR, and remains passionate about self-improvement and developing others.

Francis Small

Francis Small, who is being made an honorary fellow, enjoyed a 36-year international career at Ernst & Young, holding board roles at UK, European and Global levels, including Global Head of Corporate Finance and Managing Partner in London. Francis joined Kingston University's Board of Governors in 2015 and served as Chair from March 2020 until stepping down in 2025 following a full five-year term. 

· Find out more about graduations at Kingston University